Oh Well 75 Buick estate totaled by a drunk!

Maybe…..but I've won 3 diminished value claims against insurance companies.
It's worth a shot.
Hopefully it will work out for him.

 

X2. Parts are not readily available and getting the clamshell mechanism properly straightened out and functioning will take WAAAAY more labor than the car is likely valued at. Real life auction sales for 1971-76 cars are running $3500 for fair, $5,000 for good, and $8,500 for excellent condition cars. Anything parked on the street in the winter and driven in the salt will not qualify for "excellent" condition.

 

Can the front and middle doors still be opened and does it still have a sticker on it? Is the fuel tank leaking now? I'm considering buying your Buick, if you're so inclined. I'm 65-80 miles away from you so I can make it over pretty quickly.

 

Bummer, sorry about the wagon but glad you were not hurt.....no sympathy for the drunk driver though............

 

Sure glad I've never had to park my vehicles out at the curb except when visiting. Even then I hated doing it in the daytime.
I looked at a few houses listed with only street parking. They could give them away and I wouldn't buy one. Of course years ago people didn't always have a car, a driveway, or a garage.

 

I will have to wait till insurance people look at it before I decide anything.

The car was in medium or better condition. Has surface rust yea but I can poke any of it and there will be no holes(still solid) and ya know damn well by looking at it, it wasn't a rust bucket anywhere. I was planning a repaint in the spring. You guys should see the truck it is JUNK!

I Have a good deal of cash in the engine. 71 455 poncho that screams.


Way I see it is I was NOT in the car, I was legally parked. and their guy Ran the stop sign HIT my car RAN from the scene( in the truck, then on foot) and was drunk. I been in the auto repair and body bizz 30 years I will NOT let them low ball me. The ins guys asked what I had and I told him and he was like ahhhh that's a classic. We will see I guess

 

All doors open but the rear the back window works but is VERY slow(never was before) I assume the ground is fubar'd no gas tank leak at all.

Can't do anything till they settle

yes inspected had new rotors last year and just installed new rear brake shoes about 2 months ago

 

Sad news to hear.

Had I caught a drunk guy who hit my car, the medical examiner would be wondering why it appears that his head hit the steering wheel about 20 or 30 times.

 

AAAAAANNNNNNDDDDD that's why they didn't wake me at 2am I am thinkin!

 

If you can, get out and wash off the wagon as best you can before the adjuster sees it. With all the weather stuff on it, it's going to make it hard for the appraiser to determine the wagon's actual condition prior to the collision.

 

To me, It doesn't sound good for the offender.

Thanks.

No kidding, that salt masks the finish a bit.

 

I was talking on the phone today to one of my sons. The one who lives two miles from our new house. He told me they got another 4" of snow which totaled 8" just lately. He also mentioned the salt truck drove down his street.
Eeeeeek! My doctor here told me I shouldn't have salt. It's not good for my heart!

 

Busted, Sir

​

 

here ya go ...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1974-to-197...Parts_Accessories&hash=item2348656ae5&vxp=mtr

 

If you want to keep it, might be worth buying out the insurance company to keep it. You'll never replace it for whatever pittance insurance offers for it. Collect parts (however long it takes) and repair it. These GM clamshells don't grow on trees 40 years later. Sorry for the crash.